Brush cleaning sheets

ABSTRACT

The disclosure of the present invention relates to a planer mesh cleaning sheet used to clean excess hair from the bristles of a hair brush in a single step of lifting the cleaning sheet away from the bristles. The mesh cleaning sheet can be reinstalled on the hair brush bristles prior to additional grooming by the user.

The present disclosure claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 62/841,706, filed May 1, 2019 by the same name.

BACKGROUND

The disclosure of the present invention relates to brush cleaning sheets or more specifically to sheets of mesh fabric configured to universally fit over the bristles of a clean hairbrush and remove any hair deposited in the brush bristles after use by lifting the mesh fabric away from the bristles. Any hair on the mesh fabric can then be pulled away from the cleaning sheet and the mesh fabric can then be replaced on the hairbrush.

The traditional methods of cleaning a hairbrush include simply pulling deposited hair away from the hair bristles, using a comb to rake through the hairbrush bristles to pull the deposited hair free, or using another brush to remove the deposited hair. When using a comb or another brush to rake the deposited hair out of the bristles, it is known the hair simply transfers from the first hairbrush to the second hairbrush or into the teeth on the comb, requiring the user to pick the hair away after it is transferred.

It is recognized that there is need for a better way to effectively clean a hairbrush. Prior patents have been issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,703, HAIR BRUSH WITH CLEAN FEATURE, to Eric J. Koke, filed May 24, 1984 and US Patent Application 2013/0284201 A1, MULTI-PURPOSE SELF-CLEANING BRUSH, to Chuan Chou, filed Apr. 27, 2012. Each of the references recognize the problem but have provided a cleaning plate having a plurality of holes which a slightly larger than the diameter of the hairbrush bristles and having the same pattern as the bristles. This type of the plate may be useful for removing hair built up in the bristles of a hairbrush but it would be extremely tedious and difficult to align the hair removal plate over the pliable hairbrush bristles when reinstalling the plate. The disclosure of Koke acknowledges this difficulty and provides for a secondary plate used during the installation process of the hair removal plate. Additionally, the hair removal plate of the references will only work on a specific brush having pin bristles drilled in a specific pattern, whereas, other brushes may have natural hair bristles or plastic filament bristles configured in bunches that will not accept a drilled plate.

What is needed is a hair removal device which is easy to install on hairbrush bristles and has a universal fit, and can be installed on any brush regardless of bristle pin configuration or if the bristles are arranged in bunches.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The brush cleaning sheets of the present invention are configured to fit over the bristle portion of a hairbrush allowing the user to brush long or short hair in a conventional fashion and remove loose or broken hair using the hairbrush. Hair deposited into the bristles of the hairbrush is easily removed when the brush cleaning sheet is pulled away from the hairbrush bristles.

A first embodiment of the present invention or brush cleaning sheet is a thin, flexible mesh sheet that can be universally fit over the bristles of a hairbrush. The profile or shape of the sheet will substantially mirror the shape of the hairbrush head and the perimeter of the bristles extending out of the hair brush head with some portion of the mesh sheet extending beyond the perimeter of the bristles. The profile or shape may be substantially rectangular, square, round, oval or another shape as dictated by the shape of the hairbrush head. It is recognized that any shape of brush cleaning sheet can be installed on a brush having a different profile or may be larger or smaller than the hairbrush head. Any reasonable portion of the cleaning sheet which extends beyond the perimeter of the hairbrush head will not have any significant impact on the utility or performance of the hair brush and if the brush cleaning sheet is smaller than the hairbrush head or the perimeter of the bristle pattern, those bristles which are not surrounded by the mesh of the brush cleaning sheet will need to be cleaned separately using a conventional method.

The mesh of the cleaning sheet is determined to be a compliant material which will not scratch or chafe the scalp or skin of the user and may be a flexible plastic, nylon, silicone or similar material. The mesh pattern must have openings or spacing to allow the bristles of the hairbrush to easily pass through the mesh during installation of the brush cleaning sheet without undue manipulation of the bristles or the mesh by the user. The mesh pattern or spacing must have openings which are at least larger in size than the tip of the hairbrush pin type bristles. If the device of the present invention is to be used with brushes having natural fiber, such as horse or boar hair bristle, or brushes having plastic filament bunch type bristles, the mesh pattern of the brush cleaning sheet must be larger or more open to allow the mesh filaments to extend around, and at least partially, down into, a cluster of bunch type bristles.

The mesh can be molded material or may be a woven sheet. With the sheet having a single material or, in another embodiment the mesh may be coated with a secondary material such as rubber.

The mesh pattern opening may be simple squares, circles, ovals, diamonds, hexagons, pentagons, or another simple shape. The mesh pattern may be a simple overlap weave have opposing filaments at right angles or the mesh pattern may form a honeycomb or another known pattern.

Another embodiment of the present invention or brush cleaning sheets, the cleaning sheets may include a tab which extends beyond the perimeter of the brush cleaning sheet shape. The tab configured to allow the user to easily access the edge of the brush cleaning sheet during installation and removal of the cleaning sheet.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention or brush cleaning sheets, more than one cleaning sheet may be installed of the bristles of a brush at time. Allowing a user to brush their own hair or the hair of another person and quickly clean the brush by removing the top most brush cleaning sheet before continuing to brush the hair with clean bristles. It is contemplated that a plurality of cleaning sheets may be installed on the bristles of a hairbrush such that a commercial stylist can easily clean the hairbrush bristles between clients. In one embodiment the plurality of brush cleaning sheets may be two cleaning sheets, in another embodiment the plurality of brush cleaning sheets may be three cleaning sheets and in yet another embodiment the plurality of brush cleaning sheets may be more than three brush cleaning sheets.

One embodiment of the present invention the mesh for the brush cleaning sheets may be provided larger than the user's brush and the user may cut or trim one or more brush cleaning sheets of the proper size from the mesh.

In yet other embodiments of the present invention, or brush cleaning sheets, the cleaning sheet may be configured to provide a secure attachment to the body of the hair brush. In one embodiment the cleaning sheet may be configured to wrap around the entire body of the hair brush and securely attach to the hair brush as a loop, or a wrap, which is joined by strips of hook and loop fastener which are attached or sewn to the back of the cleaning sheet as reciprocating pairs.

In another embodiment the cleaning sheet may be configured as a cover or a bonnet having an elastic material sewn into the perimeter allowing the cover to be pulled over the bristles of the hair brush with the elastic material closing over the back portion of the hair brush body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The following description of the embodiments can be understood in light of the Figures, which illustrate specific aspects of the embodiments and are part of the specification. Together with the following description, the Figures demonstrate and explain the principles of the embodiments.

FIG. 1—the brush cleaning sheet of the present invention and a hair brush,

FIGS. 2A and 2B—a brush cleaning sheet in use on a hair brush,

FIG. 3—a brush cleaning sheet having a tab,

FIG. 4—profiles or shapes of a brush cleaning sheet,

FIG. 5—a plurality of brush cleaning sheets configured be placed on the bristles of a hairbrush,

FIG. 6—a brush cleaning sheet having attached fasteners,

FIG. 7—a brush cleaning sheet configured as a cover having an elastic perimeter, and,

FIG. 8—a method of attaching a brush cleaning sheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description of the embodiments can be understood in light of the Figures which illustrate specific aspects of the embodiments and are part of the specification. Together with the following description, the Figures demonstrate and explain the principles of the embodiments. In the Figures the physical dimensions of the embodiment may be exaggerated for clarity. The same reference numerals or word descriptions in different drawings represent the same element, and thus their descriptions may be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows the brush cleaning sheet 100 of the present invention including a mesh pattern 110. The hair brush 200 is by way of example, the hairbrush 200 including a handle 210, brush head 220 and bristles 230.

As shown in FIG. 2A the brush cleaning sheet 100 is configured to fit over the bristles 230 of the hairbrush 200. Hair 300 which is loose or broken will become entrapped in the bristles 230 above the top surface of the brush cleaning sheet 100. FIG. 2B demonstrates how as the brush cleaning sheet 100 is removed from the hairbrush bristles 230, hair 300 is pulled out of the bristles 230 and is free to throw away.

FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the present invention or brush cleaning sheet 100 comprising a thin planner mesh 110 and including a tab 110 or pull tab 110 used to aid in the installation and removal of the brush cleaning sheet 100 from the bristles of a hairbrush. FIG. 4 describes possible profiles or shapes of the brush cleaning sheets 100 configured to fit a hairbrush having a different shaped head.

FIG. 5 showing a plurality of brush cleaning sheets 100 configured to be fit onto the hairbrush 200.

The brush cleaning sheet 100 of FIG. 6 including a pair of hook and loop fasteners 131/132 configured to allow the cleaning sheet 100 to be fit over the bristles of a hair brush and then be securely attached using the fasteners 131/132 around the back portion of the hair brush body.

FIG. 7 describes a brush cleaning sheet 100 formed as a cover or a bonnet having an elastic member 141 sewn into the perimeter.

As shown in FIG. 8, brush cleaning sheet 100 can be installed over the bristles 230 of the hair brush 200 with the perimeter elastic 141 pulled over the hair brush body 220 to the back portion of the hair brush head. In an instance where the brush cleaning sheet 100 does not fully extend over the bristles 230, installation tool 300 can be used to compress the brush cleaning sheet 100 down between the rows of bristles 230. It is contemplated that the installation tool 300 will be formed using a material which is thin enough to extend between the bristles 230 of the hair brush 200 and have enough rigidity to resist deformation or bending.

It is to be understood that the above mentioned arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present disclosure. Numerous modifications or alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements. Thus, while the present disclosure has been shown in the drawings and described above with particularity and detail, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein. 

1. A brush cleaning sheet comprising, a hair brush, the hair brush having a body, a plurality of bristles extending out of the body, a flexible mesh sheet, the mesh sheet having a plurality of openings, and, the openings of the mesh sheet configured to removably fit over the plurality bristles and against the body of the hair brush.
 2. The brush cleaning sheet of claim 1, wherein the shape of the mesh sheet mirrors the shape of the body of the hair brush.
 3. The brush cleaning sheet of claim 1, wherein the shape of the mesh sheet is one of, rectangular, square, oval and round.
 4. The brush cleaning sheet of claim 1, wherein the plurality of openings are one of, oval, round, square, rectangular, diamond and hexagon.
 5. The brush cleaning sheet of claim 1, wherein the mesh sheet is one of a material comprising, plastic, nylon, and silicone.
 6. The brush cleaning sheet of claim 1, wherein the mesh sheet includes a removal tab.
 7. The brush cleaning sheet of claim 1, wherein the mesh sheet is configured to wrap around the body of the hair brush.
 8. The brush cleaning sheet of claim 7 including a hook and loop closure.
 9. The brush cleaning sheet of claim 1 including an elastic closure configured to fit over the body of the hair brush.
 10. A method of using a brush cleaning sheet comprising, providing a hair brush, the hair brush having, a handle, a body, a plurality of bristles extending out of the body, providing a mesh cleaning sheet, the mesh cleaning sheet having a plurality of openings, installing the mesh cleaning sheet with the plurality of openings over the plurality of bristles, brushing the hair of a user wherein hair is deposited into the plurality of bristles, and, removing the mesh cleaning sheet to remove the hair deposited into the plurality of bristles.
 11. The method of claim 10, including, providing a plurality of mesh cleaning sheets, installing the plurality of mesh cleaning sheets over the plurality of bristles, brushing the hair of a user wherein hair is deposited into the plurality of bristles, removing one of the plurality of mesh cleaning sheets to remove the hair deposited into the plurality of bristles, brushing the hair of user wherein additional hair is deposited into the plurality of bristles, and, removing one more of the plurality of mesh cleaning sheets.
 12. The method of claim 10 including, providing an installation tool, the installation tool comprising a thin planer material configured to fit between the plurality of bristles, and, using the installation tool to press the mesh cleaning sheet against the body of the hair brush. 